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Zaichick et al. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:60 Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2018.52 Metastasis and Treatment

Original Article Open Access

Levels of chemical element contents in thyroid as
potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis

(a preliminary study)

Vladimir Zaichick , Sofia Zaichick 2
1
1 Radionuclide Diagnostics Department, Medical Radiological Research Centre, Obninsk 249036, Russia.
2 Laboratory of Dr. Gabriela Caraveo Piso, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611-4296, USA.

Correspondence to: Dr. Vladimir Zaichick, Radionuclide Diagnostics Department, Medical Radiological Research Centre,
Korolyev St. 4, Kaluga region, Obninsk 249036, Russia. E-mail: vzaichick@gmail.com

How to cite this article: Zaichick V, Zaichick S. Levels of chemical element contents in thyroid as potential biomarkers for cancer
diagnosis (a preliminary study). J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:60. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2018.52
Received: 13 Aug 2018 First Decision: 2 Oct 2018 Revised: 28 Oct 2018 Accepted: 15 Nov 2018 Published: 28 Dec 2018

Science Editor: Bing-liang Fang Copy Editor: Cui Yu Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
Aim: Thyroid cancer is an internationally important health problem. The aim of this exploratory study was to
evaluate whether significantchanges in the thyroid tissue levels of Al, B, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, I, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P,
S, Si, Sr, V, and Zn exist in the malignantly transformed thyroid.

Methods: Thyroid tissue levels of twenty chemical elements were prospectively evaluated in 41 patients with
thyroid malignant tumors and 105 healthy inhabitants. Measurements were performed using a combination
of non-destructive and destructive methods: instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled
plasma atomic emission spectrometry, respectively. Tissue samples were divided into two portions. One was used
for morphological study while the other was intended for trace element analysis.

Results: It was found that contents of Al, B, Br, Ca, Cl, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, and Si were significantly higher
(approximately 3.2, 4.6, 9.3, 1.8, 2.3, 3.6, 1.6, 1.6, 1.6, 1.2, 2.5, 1.1, and 2.8 times, respectively) while content of I
lower (nearly 26 times) in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues.

Conclusion: There are considerable changes in chemical element contents in the malignantly transformed tissue
of thyroid.

Keywords: Thyroid malignant tumors, intact thyroid, chemical elements, biomarkers for cancer diagnosis,
instrumentalneutron activation analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
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